Elastic-fluid turbine



w. L. R. .EMMET ELAsTlQ FLUID TURBINE Filed OCT.. 20. 1921 I n v erwLoT-z Wi I I iam LJ? .Emme-L,

Patented Oct. I6, 1923..

WILLIAM R. EMMET, SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T GENERAL TRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELEC- .'ELASTIC-FLUID TURBINE.

Application filed October 20, 1921. Serial No. 509,096.

7 1o all whom t may concern.'

Be itv known that I, WILLIAM L. R. EMMET, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elastic-Fluid Turbines,\of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to elasticfluid turbines and has'for its object to provide an improved valve gear for regulating and controlling the admission 0f elastic fluid to the turbine.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, the figure is a'diagrammatic view of a turbine equipped with" a valve gear embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates the casing of an elastic-fluid turbine and 6 the shaft, the latter being mounted in suitable bearings, one of which is indicated at 7. The turbine may be of any suitable structure and type and is indicated in the drawing in diagrammatic manner only. Mounted on casing of the turbine is a valve chest 8 in which is located a series of valves which controls the admission of elastic Huid to the turbine. The stems of the valves project out through the top of casing 5 and associated with each stem is a spring 9 which acts tobias the valve to closed position. The valves are arranged to be opened successively by means of cams 10 carried by a shaft 11 mounted in bearings 12 on the valve chest.l As shaft 11 turns in one direction the cams act to successively open the valves and as it turns in the other direction it releases the valves to permit -them to close one after another. This type of valve mechanism is one in common use and well vknown to the art. It is illustrated only in a general way and is to be taken as typical of any suitable valve mechanism for regulating the admisson of elastic fluid. On the end of cam shaft 11 is a pinion 13 which meshes with a rack on the upper end of a rod 14. The lower end of rod 14 is connected to a piston 15 which moves in cylinder 16 and forms a fluid actuated motor for turning the cam shaft. Admission of actuating 30 of a governor 31 which ma fluid to the motor is controlled by a pilot valve 17 of usual construction, 18 being the inlet conduit and 19I and 19 the discharge conduits. The stem 20 of the pilot valve 1s connected to one end of a lever 21, the other end of the lever being connected to the upper end of rod 22, the lower end of which is carried by a piston 23 which moves in` a cylinder 24. Piston 23 is biased to a position toward the top of cylinder 24 by a spring 25 and its downward movement is limited by a suitable stop26. The central portion of lever 21 is connected by a link 27 to the centralA portion of a lever 28, the right-hand end of lever 28 being connected by a rod 29 to the end of the governor lever be of any suitable structure and which is riven in accordance with the speed of the turbine to raise and lower governor lever 30. The governor 31 is shown only in outline since its detail structure forms no part of the present invention.

The left-hand end of lever 28 is connected by a link 32 to the central portion of a lever 33. One end of lever 33 is pivoted to an arm 34 fixed to rod 14 and the other end is connected by a rod 35, bell crank lever 36, rod 37 bell crank lever 38 and rod 39 to the hand lever 40 which is adapted to be adjusted along a toothed quadrant 41.

Elastic fluid is admitted to chest 8 by a conduit 42 in which is a combined trip and` throttle valve 43 of any suitable type. A standard and well known type of combine'l trip and throttle valve is illustrated, the

yvalve being adapted to be opened and closed manually by means of hand wheel 44 and to be automatically closed whenever the rod 45 which is connected to arm 46 of the valve structure moves toward the right, i. e., in the direction of the arrow. Rod 45 is connected at its right-hand end to an arm 48 fixed on a shaft 49. 0n shaft 49 is fixed a second arm 50 which at its free end is pivoted to a'rod 51 which projects down through a casing The lower end of rod 51 is adapted to be supported on a trip finger 53 pivoted on a shaft 54. The lower end of trip finger terminates in a nose 5o which stands in ,proximity to an emergency governor ring 56 carried by shaft 6. The emergency governor ring is normally held conrod 51 tion so as to strike nose 55 of trip finger '53 knocking it from under .the rod 51. This` type of emergency governor mechanism is one well known in the art and is to be taken as typicalof any suitable emergency governor adapted to c me into play in case of excess speed. 'llhetrip finger normally stands under rod 51,as shown'in the drawing and isbiased to this position by a s ring 57, movement of the trip finger being limited by a stop pin 58.` On rod 51 inside casing 52 is 'fixed a collar 59 and surrounf ing rod 51 between collar 59 and the top of casing 52 is a spring 60 which acts to force downward wheneverv it is released from engagement with trip finger 53. Rod 51 projects beyond arm 50 and at its upper end is ivoted to one end of a lever 61. ver'61 is pivoted at an intermediate point on a fixed fulcrum 62 and atits other end 'is connected to the upper end of stem 63 carried by a valve 64 which slides in a valve casing65 and sadapted to cover and uncover two ports 66;.anld 67, both of which communicate with a chamber 68 at the side of valve casing-65. Chamber 68 isconnected by a pipe-69 to the upper end of cylinder y 24. The upper end of caslng 65 is connected by a pipe 70 to a Source of' fluid pressure, preferably the ,force feed lubricatlng sys tem for the turbine, and the lower end of casino' 65 is connected to a discharge pipe 71. llonnected to the turbine at an intermediate stage is a conduit 72v for the admission of low pressure elastic -fluid to the turbine. fn conduit 72 is a reverse flow check controlling valve 75. The check valve may be of any suitable structure. and is used to through lconduit 72 prevent flow from the turbine backwards lin case the pressure in the turbine is greater than that in the cony duit. Emergency valve 74 is of the clapper type, being vfixed on a shaft 76 pivoted in Walls of the valve casing and is biased to itsV seat by a spring 78 fixed on shaft 76 and One end of catch 80 is connected by a rod'82 to an arm 83 fixed onfshaft' 49.

Controlling valve" is of the-butterfly type and on the end of tlievshaft which carries it is a pinion 8 4 which meshes with rack 85 on the upper end of a rod 86. Rod

86 passes through a guide 87 and at its lower end rests ,on a cam 88 carried by camshaft l1. 'lhe rod is biased toward the cam by spring 89 located between guide 87 and a collar 90 fixed to rod 86.V lt will thus be seen that turning movements of shaft l1 will serve to actuate valve 75. l The arrangement is preferably such that valve 75 will be trip valve 74, and a 'Y 77 which is 'connected at Levier? The operation 1s as follows: ,The drawing shows the parts when the) turbine is running under normal conditions. Combined trip and emergency valve is open and one or more of the control valves in chest 8 are open, or may be, according to the load on the turbine. Valves 74 and 75 in conduit 72 are also open. Rod-51 is supported in raised position on trip finger 53 and holds the catch for trip valve 43 in engaging position, the catch 8() forvalve 74 in 'engaging position, and valve 64 o ver the port 66 in casing 65, port 67 being uncovered. Elastic fluid pressure from thelubricating system is admitted through pipe 70 to valve casing 65 thence through port 67, chamber 68, and pipe 69 tothe upper end of cylinder 24. This pressure, acting on the upper side of piston 23, serves to hold it down against stop 26, spring 25 being -he'ld under compression. Piston 23 forms a movable abutment which is normally held stationary to provide a fixed fulcrum for lever 21. In case of increase in speed, governor 3.1 Will lower the righthand end of governor lever 8() thereby lowering pilot valve 17 through the intermediary of rod 29, lever 28, link 27, and lever 21. During this movementthe left-hand end of lever' 28 pivots on' the lower end of link 32 which is stationary and the left-'hand end of lever 21 pivots on the upper end of rod 22 which is also stationary. l/Vhen pilot valve 17 'is lowered actuating fluid will lbe admitted through pipe 18 vto cylinder 16 below piston 15 forcing piston 15 upwards. f rl`he fluid above piston 15 escapes through lpipe 19 at the topo]u the pilot valve. rlhis forces piston 15 upward thereby raising the rack carried by rod 14 and turning shaft 11 in a direction to shut oli one or more of the valves in valve chest 8 which results in admitting less elastic fluid to the turbine and hence it will decrease in speed.

When rod 14 moves'upward lever 33 is turned on the upper end of rod 35 as a Aor valves invalvc chest 8 to admit more elastic fluid to the turbine. lft will thus be seen that during normal operation. while the turbine is under the control ofA the speed governor, the fluid pressure on the upper side of piston 23 holds it in downward posillt lli

kleft-hand end of lever 21.

valves in valve casing 8.

tion and provides a fixed fulcrum for the By means of hand lever the operator can raise and lower the pilot valve through the intermediary of rod 39, bell crank lever 38, rod 37, bell crank lever 36, rod 35, lever 33, link 32, floating lever 28, link 27 and 1ever'21 tomanually vary the speed of the turbine.

In case of excess speed emergency governor 56 Will strike trip finger 53 knocking it from under rod 51 whereupon spring 60 will force rod 51 downward turning the shaft 49. When shaft 49 turns rod 45 will be pulled toward the right thereby tripping emergency valve 43 which Will automatically close. At the same time arm 83 will pull down on rod 82 releasing catch 80 from engagement with valve 74 which will be closed by spring 77 to shut oil' the admission of 10W pressure elastic fluid to the turbine. Also valve 64 in casing 65 Will be raised by lever 61, uncovering port 66 and covering port 67. lVhen port 67 is covered the admission of luid pressure to chamber 68 is cut of, While the uncovering of port 66 connects such chamber to discharge pipe 71. pressure above piston 23 is thus relieved through pipe 69, chamber 68 and port 66 to discharge pipe 71 whereupon spring 25 Will force piston 23 toward the top of cylinder' 24. This movement of piston 23 turns lever 21 on the lower en d of link 27 thereby lowering the pilot valve, i. e., reversing its position, which Will admit motive fluid to cylinder 16 below piston 15 whereupon the ist-on 15 will be raised to close the controlling Fluid above lthe piston escapes by Way of discharge pipe 19 which is connected to the upper end of the pilot 4valve casing. This Will also result in closingr valve 75 in conduit 72.

It Will thus be seen that when the emergency mechanism comes into play, not only are the emergency valves 43 and 74 closed but also the controlling valve mechanism 1n valve chest 8 andthe cont-rolling valve 75. If at any time` during the operation of the turbine the pressure of the lubricating system should fail spring 25 Will immediately force piston' 23 up in cylinder 26 to reverse the position of pilot valve 17 and effect the closing of the controlling valve mechanism contained in valve chest 8 and valve 75.

In accordance With the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment' thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. The combination with a prime mover The fluid vclosing of all said valve means in case of eX- having a conduit for the admission of elastic fluid, an emergency valve mechanism and a controlling valve mechanism arranged in series in said'conduit, and means including a fluid actuated motor having a pilot valve for positioning the controlling valve mechanism, of an emergency governor, and means operated by it for tripping the emergency valve mechanism and moving the pilot valve-toet.-

fect the -closing of the controlling valve 3. The combination With a prime lmover having a conduit for the admission of elastic fluid, an emergency valve mechanism and a controlling valve mechanismv arranged 1n series in said conduit, a speed governor, andv a servo-motor comprising a pilot valve through which the speed governor actuates the controlling valve mechanism, of an emergency governor, and means operated by it to simultaneously trip the emergency `valve mechanism and move the pilot valve to effect the closing of the controlling valve mechanism. v

4. In combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying elastic fluid thereto, a plurality of valve means in said conduit one of which is a control valve means, a speed governor for regulating the control valve means, means for holding another of said valve means open, vand emergency governor mechanism for effecting the simultaneous cess speed.

5. A valve gear for a prune mover comprising a control valve mechanism and an emergency` valve mechanism arranged in series, speed responsive means for positioning the. control valve mechanism, and an emergency governor for the emergency valve mechanism, characterized by the fact that the emergency governor is Connected to the control valve mechanism in such manner that Whenever it operates to close the emergency valve mechanism it closes also the control valve/mechanism.

6. The combinationl With a prime mover, of a valve mechanism controllingl the admission of motive fluid thereto, a lever through which the valvemechanism is actuated, a

movable abutment which presents a stationary fulcrum for the lever,.governor ymechanism for moving vthe lever about such fulcrum to open and close .the 'valve mechanism,

fluid pressure supplied to the abutment.

means for supplying fluid pressure to said abutment, and means for controlling' the 7. rlh'e combination with a prime mover, of a valve mechanism controlling the admission of motive fluid thereto, a leversaid valve.

8. The combination With a prime mover,

of a valve mechanism 'controlling the advmission of motive fluid thereto, a lever y through which the valve mechanism is actuated, a movable abutment which presents a stationary fulcrum for the lever, governor mechanism for moving the lever about such fulcrum to open and close the valve mechanism, aconduit connected to the abutment, a valve'structure for connecting said con# duit to a supply of fluid pressure .or to a region of lower pressure, and an emergency governor mechanism for actuating `said valve structure:

9.,'ll`he combination with a prime mover,

of 'an emergency valve mechanism, a con-A trolling valve mechanism, a governor, a lever inoved by the governor for eecting the opening and closing of the controlling valve mechanism, a movable member which presents a fixed fulcrum for said lever, an emergency governor, and means actuated by the emergenc governor for tripping the emer.- gene 'va ve -mechanism and releasing said mem er.

10. lThe combination With a prime mover, of an emergency valve mechanism, a con-I trolling valve mechanism, a governor, a lever moved by the governor for 'effecting the opening and closing of the controlling valve mechanism, a movable abutment Which presents a fixed fulcrum for said lever, a conduit for supplying Huid pressure to said abutment, a valve structure in said conduit, anemergency governor, and means actuated by the -emergency governor for tripping the emergency valve and actuating said valve dstructure to eect movement vof" said abutment for closing the mechanism.

11. ln combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying elastic- *Huid thereto, an emergency valve mechanism and a control valve mechanism in said conduit, said emergency valve mechanism -being biased to closed position, means for holding the emer-l controlling valve gency valve mechanism open, means lfor efpivots, a

.Lavinia fecting the" closing of the control valve mechanism, and mechanism Which When ac- 'tuated operates both said means.

12. lin combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying elastic fluid thereto, an emergency valve mechanism yand a control valve mechanism in said conduit, said emergency valve mechanism being biased to closed position, means for holding the emergency valve mechanismopen, means for effecting the closing of the control valve mechanism and mechanism responsive to an abnormal operating condition 'for operating both said means.

. 13. In combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying elastic fluid thereto, an

emergency valve mechanism and a control valve mechanism in said conduit, said emergency valve mechanism being biased to closed position, means for holding the emergency valve mechanism open, means for effecting the closing of the control valve mechanism, an emergency speed governor, land mechanism operated by the emergency speed governor for releasing said holding means and, actuating the means for eliecting the closing of the control valve mechanism.

14min combination, Ia prime mover, a conduit for supplyingelastic fluid thereto, valvemechanism in said conduit, a servoinotor coinprisinga pilot valve for actuating the valve mechanism, a governor, a lever through Which the governor' actuates the pilot valve, means providing a fixed ulcrum for said lever, means for releasing said fiilcrum, and means Which When the fulcrum lis released operates said lever independently of the governor'to move the pilot valve in a direction to eHect the closing ofl the valve mechanism.

15. ln combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying elastic fluid thereto, valve mechanism in said conduit, means including a governor, ,a servo-motor, and a lever for actuating the valve mechanism, a movable abutment on which said lever pivots, a conduit for supplying fluid pressure to said abutment, a valve in said conduit, and emer gency governor mechanism Jfor actuating said valveo 16. lin combination, a prime mover, a conduit vfor supplying elastic fluid thereto, valve mechanism in said conduit, means including a governor, a servo-motor and a lever for actuating the valve mechanism, a movable abutment. on which said lever conduit for supplying elastic fluid pressure from the lubricating system for the prime mover to said abutment, a valve in said last named conduit,land means for actuating it.

- lin Witness whereof, li have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of ctober, 1921. vlWlilLlLillAM L. R. EMMET. 

